This invention concerns the problem of tangled coiled lines and means for reducing such problem. When flexible lines or tubes are proximate to each other and are subject to use which causes them to lie on, over, or cross over each other, there is the tendency for tangling and twisting to occur. If one or more of these flexible lines or tubes itself is of the coiled type, the tangling occurs more frequently, since the coils easily become enmeshed. Moreover, such a coiled line also can and does become caught up within its own coils and this type of tangle can be most troublesome. Coiled lines, wires and tubes are commonplace. Most telephones use a flexible, coiled line between the hand-held portion and the base. In use, such coiled line usually becomes over-twisted and the coils along the line length slip and mesh into each other, not only shortening the effective length of the line, but also making its general use cumbersome.
Another environment for flexible, coiled lines is a dental console, in which is housed the source of compressed air and water. The dental tools are connected to the console via these coiled lines or tubes. As well known, such tubes fit into a supporting rack or tray and lie close to each other, for convenience to the dentist. Equally well known is the fact that the coils of these tubes "hook", tangle or mesh into each other, from different tubes as well as coils from the same tube. Not only are such tangles a general problem to dentists, but they present a dangerous condition, in that a tangle could suddenly apply a pulling force or resistance to the smooth movement of the dental tool in the hand of the dentist, the tool then being near or in the patient's mouth.
Using dentistry as a convenient environment for the coil tangle problem and its solution, it should be noted that there have been prior art solutions. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,262,735; 3,718,972; and 3,972,120 each appreciate the problem and teach a generally similar solution--separate the tubes by divider walls or baffles. Such separators have merit, but also create their own problems. To provide adequate separation of the tubing, the dividers greatly increase the size of the dental console, as well as its cost. Appearance, and placement of the console also suffer. Present practice is to place the dental tool tray or fixture on a small, swinging platform, depending from which are the coiled tubes. The cited prior art would not be adapted to such present practice.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,120 also notes problems associated with another solution to tangled fluid lines in dental consoles. Such solution uses retractable, or roll-up systems, which hold each line (not coiled) and then feed each line under pull from the dentist. These retraction mechanisms use springs, rollers, detents, etc. which are subject to mechanical adjustment and failure. Also they suffer from problems similar to the prior art separators: cost, space, ease of use.